Wally's Classic Recipe

Prep potatoes

Wash and peel the russet potato if desired. Cut into 1/4-inch dice (small cubes) for even, quick frying. Pat the cut potatoes dry with a towel to remove excess moisture.

Dice the yellow onion into small pieces (about 1/4-inch).

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs vegetable oil and let it warm until shimmering but not smoking (about 1–2 minutes).

Add the diced potatoes in a single layer (if they crowd the pan, do in two batches). Let them cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes to get a golden crust, then stir or flip pieces to brown other sides, about 6–8 more minutes total.

When potatoes are about halfway done and starting to brown, add the diced onion and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and evenly golden, another 4–6 minutes.

Season the potatoes with 0.5 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp black pepper, 0.5 tsp paprika, and 0.25 tsp garlic powder. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in 1 tbs chopped fresh parsley if using. Keep the skillet over low heat to keep warm while you cook eggs and meat or transfer to low oven (200°F / 95°C).

Choose bacon or sausage links. For bacon: lay 3 strips in a cold skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, flipping occasionally, until crispy or desired doneness, 8–10 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain and keep warm.

For sausage links: heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 tbs oil if needed. Add 2 links and cook, turning frequently, until browned on all sides and cooked through (internal temperature 160°F / 71°C), about 10–12 minutes. Remove and keep warm.

Decide how you want your eggs (fried/sunny-side-up, over-easy/medium/hard, or scrambled). For fried eggs: heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-low and add 1 tbs butter. When butter is foamy, crack 2 eggs into the pan spaced slightly apart. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.

For sunny-side-up: cook gently until whites are set but yolks are runny, 3–4 minutes. For over-easy/medium/hard: when whites are set, carefully flip and cook 15–30 seconds (over-easy), 30–60 seconds (over-medium), or 1–2 minutes (over-hard). For scrambled: whisk eggs lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper, melt butter in pan over medium-low, pour eggs in and stir slowly until soft curds form, about 2–3 minutes.

When eggs are cooked to your preference, remove from heat and keep warm with the potatoes and meat.

Toast your choice of bread, English muffin, or biscuit. Butter lightly (1 tsp) while warm.

Arrange on a plate: 2 eggs your way, 3 strips of bacon or 2 sausage links, a generous portion of fried potatoes (about 1 cup), and the buttered toast. Garnish potatoes with extra parsley if desired.

Serve immediately while hot.